1993 Mazda 626

THE 626, MX6 AND FORD PROBE (ALL RELATED DESIGNS) APPEAR TO HAVE A DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE REAR CALIPERS AND PARKING BRAKE TO SEIZE. THE PARKING BRAKE ARM THAT THE CABLE PULLS BACK SEIZES ??ON??. THIS MIGHT BE DUE TO POOR DESIGN WHERE THE SPRING CAN NOT PULL THE ARM BACK DUE TO THE MATERIALS USED AND THE RUST. THE ARM AND PIVOT MATERIAL SHOULD BE CHANGED AND THE SPRING SHOULD BE STRONGER. ONCE THE PARKING BRAKE SEIZES THE ROTOR, CALIPERS AND THE WHOLE WHEEL RIM GETS *EXTREMELY* HOT. DRAG, HEAT AND BURNING SMELLS MAY BE NOTICED. IF NOT NOTICED THE ROTOR AND PADS WEAR AWAY UNTIL THE BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION. THE DAMAGE TO THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS REQUIRES REPLACEMENT HOWEVER THE ROOT CAUSE APPEARS TO BE THE POOR PARKING BRAKE DESIGN. BEFORE I STARTED TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THIS MYSELF I HAD 3 DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTERS REPAIR THE PROBLEM ON 3 OCCASIONS. EACH TIME THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE PARKING BRAKE AND JUST REPLACED ALL THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, PADS, ETC. THE SERVICE CENTERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSE AND THEY DO NOT FIX IT. I FOUND OUT A BIT FROM INTERNET SEARCHES AND THE REPAIR MANUAL. (THE REPAIR MANUAL IS COMMON TO THE FORD PROBE WITH MANY OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT SEIZED BRAKES.) I TOOK A LOOK AT THE PARKING BRAKE ARM WHEN I NEXT PULLED OVER WITH DRAG, HEAT AND BURNING SMELLS. THE ARM WAS SEIZED AND I FORCED IT FREE WITH MY HAND WHICH TEMPORARILY SOLVED THE PROBLEM. FROM WORKING THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE IT APPEARS THAT THE CABLE IS FINE AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS FROM THE RUSTED ARM & PIVOT. THE MATERIAL OF THE ARM & PIVOT RUSTS AND SEIZES. THESE SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A MORE SUITABLE MATERIAL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY REASONS. OWNERS ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH FLAMING HOT ROTORS, DEFECTIVE BRAKES AND STRANGE DRAG AND VIBRATION ON A REGULAR BASIS. MAZDA AND FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE AVAILABLE PROPERLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT PARTS AND TO COMPENSATE THE OWNERS FOR THE REPAIR BILLS. *JB